And the world kept moving
by barcode-babe-210
Summary: She lies there, a fallen angel in a broken world...Crossover with Dark Angel, but i'll explain everything (1st chap is prologue and explains everything), so you really don't have to have seen the show. Please r and r!
1. In the beginning

Giving the government power and money is like giving whiskey and car keys to two teenage boys...bad things can happen. The government has secrets, we all know that. But we don't all know about Project Manticore.

In the early 1990's, the U.S. government decided that they were going to have the best of the best in weaponry. Since all of the other frontiers were taken, they decided upon genetically engineering human weapons- the perfect soldiers.

They spliced the genes of embryos with the genes of animals- cats, cheetahs, sharks- anything to make them better, give them more of an edge. The result? Children with no childhoods, killed for the slightest misdemeanor. Kids that were forced to gun train at the age of six, who fluently spoke 18 languages by the age of thirteen.

They expected them to be perfect, which they were. But Manticore didn't expect their soldiers to think for themselves. Call it ironic, but Manticore's obedient little soldier-children were independent.

And in 2009, twelve of them ran....ran far, far away, ran into the world that wasn't yet ready for them...they ran straight into danger.

There was one who, through it all, kept her innocence. She never once gave up hope that they had lived, that her siblings were okay, even though she heard the foreboding sound of gunfire ringing through the forest. She never gave up on them, nor them on her...

This is her story, her life...


	2. And she fell

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Forest, New York

She runs through the forest, not knowing if they're still on her trail or when they'll come back to finish her off. She just knows that she must run...always. Otherwise they'll find her, and hurt her. Lock her up to be some 1st place science experiment. Sell her on the black market.

The possible terrors are to inhumane and numerous to even imagine. The snow blurs her vision, as well as the tears streaming unchecked down her face. The icy December wind cuts through her ripped jeans and crimson stained shirt, the cold making the stab wound hurt all the more.

She whimpers softly, as the world spins around her. She reaches out to lean against a tree, but crashes to the ground, the frozen ground breaking her fall. She moans in pain, and tries to get up, holding the wound in her stomach. She claws at the tree in an effort to get up, but she can't make it.

She crawls out of the woods, leaving a trail of red snow. A huge building looms in front of her, music coming through the walls. And then the world goes black, and she collapses, a fallen angel lying in a puddle of her own blood.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Holly Hop, Professor X's School for the Gifted

Logan watches in boredom as the kids dance. A yawn escapes him, and Ororo laughs. "What?" he asks gruffly, and she smiles.

"Come on, this isn't that bad." she tells him, and he stares at her incredulously. "Ok, it's definitely not fun, but think of how much fun the children are having." she says, and Scott shakes his head.

"I'm definitely with Logan on this one. This is not fun."he says, and Logan nods, and then goes back to being broody. Suddenly Jean gasps, and they look at her. She hurries to the door, not even bothering to throw on her winter coat before rushing outside.

Knowing that something big's going down, the rest follow her into the blizzard. Jean doesn't even notice them as she runs, the snow blurring her vision. Just as suddenly as she started, she stops abruptly in front of the body of the girl. "Oh, God." she whispers, kneeling down and taking her pulse. "She's still alive" she tells the other X-Men, "but just barely."

Logan lifts her into his arms, cradling her fragile body carefully, as if she may shatter. He hurries into the Med Ward, followed by Ororo and Jean. Scott pauses, seeing a glint of something in the snow. He picks it up- a silver locket with a coat of arms engraved on it.

He stares at it for a minute and hurries inside to find the others, hoping that the necklace will help identify the mystery girl.

Miles away, the Conclave are rejoicing. "She is gone!" they cry, dancing merrily to celebrate the death of the girl. Little do they know that she had a reason to keep on living....

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::A/N-what do you think? Hope you like it!!!! Review please, and sorry I didn't describe the girl at all- I did it on purpose. More news on her next chapter.

Luv ya!!

Molly Jeane


	3. In the balance

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::A/N:

Hey guys! Thanks to all who reviewed, and sorry if my Jean-not-so-dead thing's confusing. I'll explain it later, but just to make it easier, let's just say that she was found the day after Alkali Lake, on a hilltop that wasn't under water. She was breathing, so not dead. She IS the Phoenix, after all. (Ok, so I totally don't know anything about Phoenix- I'm making it up as I go, so if I'm wrong, please tell me!!!!)

Thanks again, and Review, my pretties!!! reviews make me all warm and fuzzle-y!!

Molly Jeane

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Prof. X's School for the Gifted, New York

The room is silent, but for the shallow yet steady breathing of the girl lying on the bed. Her wavy, raven locks roll down her shoulders, and the cuts and obvious signs of torture have been cleaned, and are free of dried blood.

Charles Xavier sits at the girl's bedside, holding the locket that Scott handed him, searching for an answer. It doesn't do any good, though, as there is no activity in this girl's brain. She has made herself forget anything, a tactic that is used only by those who truly need to. Who would willingly forget their entire life unless it was absolutely necessary?

He sighs, shifting his gaze from the locket to the girl. It shouldn't be like this. The world should stop, and look at this girl's wounds. It should gaze at how she's been tortured, see the spot of red snow at the edge of the wood. But it shouldn't keep going. It shouldn't ignore the fact that an Innocent has fallen.

Jean, seeing that the Professor is in the room, pauses outside the door, hesitating, not knowing whether to go in or not. "Come in, Jean." he says tiredly. She walks in slowly, holding a clipboard that holds the only information known about the girl. "How is she?" he asks, and Jean looks at the girl with amazement.

"Technically speaking, she should be dead. That wound had to have been five hours old, and it was still bleeding. Not to mention that she has burn and slice marks from some obvious torture, and she has a sedative still in her system. Whoever she was running from didn't want her to leave. And if she did leave, they wanted her dead..." She trails off, and the professor looks at her expectantly. "She had a tiny bomb implanted into her head. It was set to go off in an hour, but thank god I felt the bump. I removed it and detonated it." she tells him, her voice soft. "I gave her some more sedative, and some painkillers, so that her body can try to repair itself."

"Why would someone hurt a child this bad?" the Professor asks, and Jean shakes her head slowly.

"A lot of people want to hurt mutants in any way that they can." she says, handing him the sheet that she printed out. "This is a blood work-up of our Jane Doe."

The Professor stares at it for a few moments, skimming the sheet. "This is incredible. She has no junk DNA." he says in astonishment. "What does this mean?" he asks Jean, who shrugs.

"I have no idea, but I do know that this girl is definitely not a normal girl. Just look at her stem cell count. Double the normal, so she can heal quickly. She also doesn't have a blood type. Universal donor. She's genetically perfect." she says, glancing at the paper, a culmination of all the years of genetic engineering combined, something that any black market salesmen would love to have for sale. "No wonder why people were after her."

"But," Charles thinks out loud, "the question is, why would someone go to all the trouble of hurting her when they could make a large profit?"

They both look at the girl, as if she can provide the answer. She just lies there, unmoving, trying to wake up but not knowing how.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Abandoned Military Base, NY

"The implant has gone off?" Ames White asks from his cold-looking metal desk.

"Yes, sir, it's gone according to plan. Something triggered the bomb. She's dead." a nameless assistant tells him, eager to please the guy in charge.

"Good work." Ames says coldly, smiling a mirthless smirk. "You've made me happy."

"Yes, sir." the assistant says, giving him a fresh cup of coffee and closing the door behind him, humming 'Oh, What a Beautiful Morning', happily greeting anyone he meets, only to be returned with a cold stare.

"Stop that awful noise!" Ames shouts angrily, muttering profanities under his breath. "Damn interns."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Girl's PoV

There's nothing here, but the Black. I hate the Darkness....it's so lonely, with no one here....There are voices coming through the black. Someone help me, please.....I don't want to be here.....

I need to keep running......always running, never stopping.....Someone help me out of here...


	4. Broken prayers to fallen dieties

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Space Needle, Seattle.

The icy winter wind cuts through Max Guevera's leather jacket, but she doesn't seem to notice. She's numb now, numb with fear and pain, and the guilt at letting her baby sister get taken by the bad guys. Soft footsteps let her know that he's here, thanks to her transgenic hearing. "What are we going to do, Alec?" she asks, not moving.

He sits down next to her, wrapping an arm around her to warm her up. "We'll find her. Maddie's not one to give up." he says softly, and she rests her head on his shoulder. "She'll be fine, baby." he assures Max, kissing her softly on the head.

"She's the only sister who I've found, Alec." she whispers, and he holds her tighter. "She's the only family I have."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted, Dorms

John pokes his best friend's shoulder lightly. "Bobby, wake up." No answer, or even movement, from the boy on the bed. "Bobby, wake up!!" he pokes him harder, then realizes what will wake up his friend. "Bobby, I know what made the teachers all have to leave the dance."

Bobby Drake sits up groggily. "What, man? I have to do two papers tomorrow to get them done before break. I need sleep." John just smiles.

"It's a girl."

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Girl's room

Her eyes flutter open, and she looks around, biting her lip to distract her from the pain in her abdomen. The hospital-white walls and stainless steel of the tools on the table makes a chill run down her spine. She looks around frantically, wondering why they didn't tether her down yet. She's too weak too move much...she'll just have to wait to escape.

She sits up shakily, holding her wound in an attempt to belittle the pain. The only sound in the room is her shuddered breathing. She tries to think of the best way to escape, but her hope is nearly gone.

As a last resort, she sends up a prayer to the childhood deity of her Manticore siblings.

_Please, Blue Lady, help me...please..._

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Hallway, Prof. X's School for the Gifted.

"Do you know what happened to her?" Bobby asks as he and his best friend walk through the dark, deserted halls. He's curious about this girl, a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that she may stir up a bit of pandemonium at Mutant High.

"I don't know, man, but she's really hot." John tells him, smirking that patented smirk of teenage boys thinking of sex. Bobby rolls his eyes.

"Is that all you think about, John?" he asks, and John looks at him incredulously.

"Dude, you're a teenage boy, too, you know. You should be thinking about it, too. Anyway, you will be when you see this girl." he says smugly, smirk still firmly in place. Bobby sighs in annoyance.

"What if something bad's being stirred up, John? Magneto could be up to his old tricks." he says, and John shrugs.

"Nah, I don't think so. This doesn't feel like something Magneto would do. He'd suck the life-force out of you slowly or dissect you while you're still alive- he's creative like that, you know? This chick was just stabbed." John tells him dismissively, and Bobby muses.

"You sure know your torture methods, John."

"Yeah, well, food for thought."

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;Girl's room, Prof. X's School for the Gifted

The echo of footsteps coming closer makes her cringe. Two pairs. That means they're starting off with the heavy torture. Otherwise there would only be one. Her heartbeat thuds in her ears, as she painfully maneuvers herself off the bed and searches for a potential weapon, ignoring the dizziness from blood rush.

As the footsteps grow closer, she grabs a pair of surgical scissors and ducks behind the room divider. She hears two people walk in, and a young sounding voice say, "Uh, she was in here before, I swear."

Another voice sighs in exasperation. "John, if I got up for nothing at three in the morning for some sadistic practical joke, I will freeze you!" _Freeze him? Not much of a threat_, the girl thinks, climbing on top of a table to peek over the room divider. She holds her hand to her now reopened wound, and bites back a sigh of relief to see that it's only two adolescent boys. Take your masochistic son to work day? She almost smiles at the idea, and at knowing that she could take these boys out with a well-placed roundhouse kick.

A look of curiosity passes over John's face, and the girl follows his eyes to the trail of blood on the floor from her stab wound. "Shit." she mumbles as the curtain swings back, revealing her perched on a table. She sits there, frozen, for a second.

"Um, hi..." Bobby starts, trailing off at the sight of the scissors clenched in her white knuckles. She jumps down from the table with cat-like grace. The blood from her opened injury has soaked through the sweatshirt with Xavier's School emblazoned on it.

"Look, ok," she starts, her voice shaky with desperation, "you let me leave and I'll let you live." As much as the soldier mask hides the emotion in her face, there's a fear in her eyes, a look of utter pain in her that's impossible to hide.

John raises his hands up, smirking. How could a girl this tiny be a threat? "Okay, Thumbelina, don't do anything you'll regret." he sends a charming (ok, so in his mind) smile her way, only to be greeted by a cold stare. "Okay, well, in that case, don't do anything I'll regret."

Her calculating stare gets a little less frigid, and Bobby, being the diplomat that he is, steps out in front of John, pushing him back a little. "Um, we don't want to hurt you, ok? Someone found you on the grounds, and we're just curious." he tells her, and a panicky loathing and terror comes over her face.

She drops the scissors, putting her hands on her temples. "No, not the mind games...please, please," she pleads, dropping to her knees. Her tiny, underfed body rocks back and forth, and she gazes up at them with a fear that few can comprehend. "Cut me, burn me, but don't pretend that you won't hurt me!!!" she screams as her body starts to shake violently.

See, the scientists at Manticore really thought that they had it all worked out. Genetically perfect kids, right? Wrong. When an X5 has been running on empty for a while, they can't make up the serotonin that they can't produce naturally. Or when they're hurt, or overwhelmed....basically, at all the bad times, they get seizures.

Her wispy body shudders painfully, and she curses herself for letting her enemies see her at her weakest. She tries to hold her cries in, but little whimpers keep coming out. She closes her eyes, trying to breathe through the pain.

She feels someone take her hand, and opens her eyes in fear, praying that they'll wait for the seizures to stop before starting torture. "It'll be all right...Jean's a really good doctor. She'll make it better." the boy who called himself Bobby tells her.

"T-tryp..." she sputters as another round hits her, trying to tell him the key to letting her live, "tryptop-phan." she whispers, closing her eyes and letting the blackness wash over her.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::A/N

Wow, this was a long chapter!!!! I hope y'all like it!! Review and tell me if I'm doing an ok job of tying in the two stories. Sorry if the PoV's are confusing, but it's just the way i write.

Thanx and kisses to all who've reviewed- you give me warm fuzzelies inside. keep it up!

Luv

molly jeane


	5. Breaking the silence

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Professor Xavier's office

"Do you boys realize what you could have done to that girl's psyche?" Professor Xavier asked, and John and Bobby lowered their heads in shame. "She's gone through a lot- broken bones, torture, a life on the run. We don't know how much more she can take." he told them, and they nodded.

"I was the one who found her, and I wanted Bobby to see her." John admitted, realizing that with his abilities, the Professor would find out either way. Adults like it when you tell the truth, right? "Sorry." he mumbles, and Xavier nods.

"I tried to tell her that she was safe here, but she really didn't listen." Bobby says, and Charles looks at him, urging him to continue. "I told her that we wouldn't hurt her, and then she started freaking out. She said that we could cut her or burn her, but please not the mind games. Then she fell to the floor and started having the seizure."

"Someone wanted to break her." Professor Xavier says, shaking his head sadly. "I just don't know how far they got."

Study Hall

Rogue looks around in boredom, and zeroes in on John. She wads up a rough draft of her Benjamin Franklin report and throws it at him. 'Where's Bobby?' she mouths as he rubs his head, pretending to look hurt. Although Bobby and Rogue were way over as a couple, he did entertain her during Study Hall.

'Watching over the new girl.' John mouths back, though it takes a couple tries to decipher it. When Rogue looks completely lost, John explains further. 'She's hot.'

Girl's room

"How are things going, Bobby?" Wolverine asks, stopping by the mystery girl's room as he passes. Bobby shrugs.

"It's ok. I don't really know why the Professor picked me to watch her, though." Bobby tells him, thoroughly puzzled.

"Well, Chuckie's odd like that sometimes." he says, noting how Bobby glances to the girl every couple of seconds. "Maybe it's because he thinks that she'll trust you. You're a pretty-boy, and you don't look too dangerous." he adds, smirking. He can tell that Bobby's worried about this girl, whoever she is. "So, do we know anything about her?" he asks, and Bobby shakes his head.

"Only that she was tortured pretty bad. Everything- mind games, beatings, every possible kind of torture, she's had it." he says, looking at the girl lying so helplessly on the bed. "Who would want to hurt someone that bad? What did she ever do?" he asks, and Wolverine pats him on the shoulder.

"She's ok now, kid. The Professor won't let anything happen to her." he tells Bobby, who nods. "Well, I should go...lots of people to make fun of, so little time." he says, and starts out of the room.

A slight rustling makes him stop short in his tracks. Bobby looks to the bed, where the girl is starting to stir. Her eyelids flutter open, revealing emerald orbs filled with an almost irrational amount of fear. Bobby's eyes are the first thing that she locks onto, and even more fear sinks into her. You can see her spirit break, crack in half.

"Shhh, we won't hurt you, I promise." he whispers as she rubs her arms in a desperate attempt to keep warm. "Are you cold?" he asks, looking for a blanket. "Of course you're cold, you're severely underweight." he mutters to himself as the girl's eyes find Wolverine. She eyes him suspiciously as Bobby wraps a blanket around her shoulders.

"I'm one of the good guys." Logan says, a little bit nervous of the feral look in the girl's eyes. She turns to Bobby, looking to him for an answer. Bobby looks to Wolverine, who shrugs. Bobby turns his icy blue eyes to her green ones, and nods.

She lets it go, acknowledging Logan as one of the good guys, or at least not as a threat. If he was a threat, she would have killed him as soon as Bobby gave her confirmation that he was bad.

She curls up in a ball on the bed and closes her eyes, wishing that the world would go away. Bobby takes her hand lightly, not really knowing how she'll react. "It's okay. I promise that nothing bad will happen to you anymore. You're safe here." he tells her, and her eyes open.

She looks like a child, lying on that bed so much like a little girl trying to hide from the monsters under the bed. But her monsters are bigger, scarier, more real. Her monsters want her dead, want to make her a human science experiment.

She starts crying softly, not knowing how else to react. She's safe. No one can hurt her. Someone was waiting for her when she woke up, and it wasn't to continue the never-ending stream of torture. Someone doesn't want her dead.

"I'll go tell the Professor." Logan says, and Bobby nods, not really paying attention to anything but this girl, and trying to help her. He walks out of the room, trying to listen to their conversation, but the girl doesn't talk. Only Bobby does._ Maybe that's part of shutting herself down_, he thinks as he hurries to Chuck's office. "Probably already knows," he mumbles as he walks down the hall.

_He does_, a voice resonates within his head. _Go get the girl some food, Logan. She hasn't eaten in a very long time_.

_Fine, but I have to remind you that this is a very irritating form of communication_, Logan thinks. The Professor doesn't answer, so he heads to the cafeteria.

Girl's room, 15 minutes later

The Professor rolls into the room, and smiles at the girl, who eyes him suspiciously. "He's the one who owns this school. He wants to help you." he tells her, and her gaze softens.

"I want to help you, child." Xavier says softly, as the girl wraps her arms around her knees in the protective stance that she has been using since she woke up. "This is a school for mutants, for people who are not normal, for people like you." he says softly, looking to Bobby for a demonstration to help the girl understand.

"He's right." Bobby tells her, putting his hand on the table and closing his eyes for a moment. He opens them and removes his hand, and there lies a star made of ice. Puzzlement fills the girl's face. "All of us students are like that here. We can do stuff that normal people can't." he tells her, and she gives a small nod, showing that she understands.

"I want to help you find our family, and tell them that you are all right." Xavier tells her, and she smiles a little in thanks. He clears his throat, ready to get to work. "Do you remember anything at all?" he asks, and she shrugs. "Your name, where you were...anything?" he asks, trying to get into her mind to see her thoughts, but a barrier stops him. She was trained for this.

She shakes her head, and the Professor sends a thought to Bobby. _We need her to remember, Bobby. Otherwise her family won't know. _Bobby nods inconspicuously, and turns to the girl. "Anything you remember could be helpful, okay? Do you remember anything?" he asks, and she shudder.

"332960073451...." she whispers, looking at them like it should mean something. Her voice is raw from non-use, and it sounds hollow as she stares into the bedsheets. "...Familiars..."she shudders, pausing. Bobby takes her hand, trying to comfort her. She looks at him, her clover-green eyes filled with such a pain that he had never seen before, a pain that no one should feel.

"Manticore." she says almost inaudibly, and tears fill her eyes. "Killed Jack, then Eva. We ran, and I lost them." she says, looking away. Bobby rubs her back soothingly. She looks at him, surprised.

"I'm sorry, child, but we need to find out who tried to hurt you, and make it so they can never hurt anyone again." the Professor tells her, and she nods. "Do you remember your name?" he asks her, as an afterthought.

She shakes her head. "My designation is 332960073451. I don't remember." she tells him, pulling back her long black tresses away to reveal the insignia that is the only representation of her tortured childhood- a black barcode etched into her neck. "I....I wasn't born, I was made." she say quietly, looking at them through a guarded mask.

"Well, you'll fit right in here." Bobby says, and a look of relief sweeps over her face. "Welcome to Mutant High." he says, giving her a warm smile.

Professor Xavier quietly leaves the room, glad that this girl has started to open up to someone. He hears her laugh softly, and smiles to himself. Whoever tried to break her, hadn't. She had still retained her sanity, and a shred of innocence. They hadn't won...and they were going to pay...

A/N

SORRY!!!! My computer's decided that it hates me, so we had a virus. But as soon as it was gone, I got on and wrote this. Sorry if it's really bad.

Review, my pretties, and I will update ASAP!!!!!

Luv,

molly jeane


	6. Starving for answers

A/N

Hey everybody!! Thanks so much for all the reviews...they're greatly appreciated- I feel so special!! I hope you like this chapter- I know that this story might be confusing, but just tell me anything that y'all don't like, and I'll make the changes.

Happy holidays, everyone, and please review- what can I say, I'm a review whore...I need my fuzzlies.

Luv ya!

Molly Jeane

Hallway, Professor Xavier's School for the Gifted.

"So, what's this new girl like?" Rogue asks, panting after running to catch up to John.

"Completely deranged." he says immediately, though he can't quite help the smirk that falls on his face. "She's really hot, though." he says, and Rogue rolls her eyes.

"Completely deranged how?" she asks, and John shrugs.

"Was wielding a pair or surgical scissors as a weapon when Bobby and I walked into the room." he says, and she grimaces. He quickly defends the girl though, while not really knowing why he's coming to her aid. "I guess it's not her fault, though..." he starts, but Rogue interrupts him.

"Not her fault how?" she asks incredulously, and John gives her a knowing look. "Oh."

"The professor said that she was pretty roughed up when she got here." he explains to her, not letting her in on how close to death the girl was. "Someone really didn't like her much." he tells her, and she shakes her head sadly.

"God, that's horrible. How old is she, anyway?" Rogue asks, flicking a strand of white hair out of her eyes as they continue down the now-deserted hallway.

"The Professor's not really sure," John says, and she laughs.

"How can the Professor be unsure? He can see into everyone's mind, and know their deepest, darkest secrets." she tells him, and then pouts. "Hey, I wanna read people's minds....you could own people!" John laughs, but then she gives him her 'you better tell me now, or you'll be sorry' look.

"She has a barrier that he can't break through. Someone trained her well." he says, and Rogue nods. "She looks about our age, but she we can't quite be sure." he says, and she nods, brightening up.

"Wanna go visit her?" she asks, already heading towards the infirmary. John groans.

"You know, I've already had one too many near-death experiences, so I think I'm out." he lies, trying to play it cool.

"Please John?" she asks him, puppy dog pout firmly in place..._Damn that puppy dog pout_, John thinks to himself.

"Fine, but I'm bringing her chocolate..." he mutters, and Rogue looks at him, completely puzzled. He smiles sweetly. "I've learned that women are a lot less moody when there's chocolate within arm's reach."

"That's nice, really nice." Rogue says sarcastically, swatting him on the arm.

"Ow! Abuse!" he yells, grabbing where her gloved hand hit him.

"Oh shut up." she tells him, smiling softly.

Girl's room

Logan walks down the hallway, tray full food for the girl, who must be famished. He pauses outside the door, listening to the one-sided conversation between the girl and Bobby.

"And the people are pretty nice here, too. Everyone knows what it's like to feel alone, so we all feel alone together." Logan hears Bobby tell her. _Hmm, pretty damn eloquent, kid._ Logan thinks, smiling a little to himself, but then plastering his grimace back on. "The teachers are nice too, and they understand what we feel like, because they went through the same thing. Even Logan's pretty nice- he's always pretending he's broody and stuff, but he's really pretty cool."

Logan knocks on the door at that precise moment, and the girl looks down, hiding a smirk. Her emerald eyes flash to Bobby's reddening face, curious to see what he'll do. "Hey Logan," he says, and Logan hides a smile. "Uh, thanks for bringing the food." he says lightly, taking the tray and putting it in the girl's lap. Her face turns green.

"You've been asleep for an entire day, darlin'." Logan says in his gruff voice, "Aren't you a little hungry?" he asks her, worried that she doesn't want to eat. She shakes her head, pushing away the tray full of food.

"Come on, you have to eat." Bobby tells her, and she shakes her head indignantly. He sighs, not really knowing what to do, and looks helplessly up at Logan.

"Come on, darlin'. You have to eat. It's just chicken noodle soup and toast, there's no drugs or anything in it." he promises, and she eyes the soup momentarily, but then shakes her head again. "We really wouldn't like having to feed you through a tube, you know. And I don't think that you'd like that, either." he says, and she nods, pulling the bowl to her slowly and tentatively taking a tiny bite. She looks up hopefully and pushes the bowl away.

"Not so fast. Can you try to eat half of that bowl?" Logan asks her, and she nods, rolling her eyes. _God, I'm starting to think like a parent. I need a drink_. He thinks, sitting down on an empty chair next to her bed.

She eats slowly, her stomach not used to having food in it. She only ends up eating a quarter of what's in the bowl, but she also eats a piece of toast. She looks up at Logan, and he nods, taking the tray. "Do you feel all right?" he asks her, knowing that a person can get sick the first time eating solid food after nearly starving. She nods, and lays back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

"Bobby, why don't you go get some sleep. You look tired." he says, as Bobby leans on his palm, dozing off. The girl smiles, but it's gone in an instant.

"Well, ok, but I'll be back later." he promises the girl, while stifling a yawn. She nods, then makes a shooing motion. Logan moves to the chair nearest the bed.

"He was pretty worried about you. We all were." he says, but gets no response. She keeps staring at the ceiling, her fists clenched at her sides. "I know how you feel." he tells her, and receives the expected 'oh, really?' look. He smirks, liking this girl already. "A couple of years ago, I woke up here, too. I didn't remember anything, either, but it came back." he says, and she turns from the ceiling to give him a once-over.

She lifts up her shirt and points to the gauze-covered stab wound, and sends him a look that just dares him to top that one. "Touche." he says simply, and she nods, and returns to counting the holes in the ceiling.

Logan watches her stare at the plain white ceiling, and can't help but wonder what she's thinking of, what's behind those eyes. "So..." he starts, and she gives him a look. "Yeah, I'm not really one for small talk, either."


	7. remember?

A/N: ok, so I know that I haven't updated in a while, so I doubled up two chapters into one (took me a while, so I hope ya like it!) Thank y'all for the reviews, I really appreciate them and they give me the tinglies, so if you could keep it up, that'd be cool.

btw, the ()blahblahblah() is for the flashbacks, k?

Well, hope you like!

-molly jeane

The snow fell onto Seattle, mixed with the ever-constant rain. Max, the stubborn leader of Terminal City, sits on her desk, sitting Indian-style with her arms crossed over her chest in a stance of defiance. _Maddie's not dead, she's not, she's not, she's not,_ she keeps repeating to herself, a silent mantra.

Alec stands outside the door, contemplating on what to do once he opens the door. You see, she's locked herself in. And while every resident, down to the littlest X8, knows how to pick a lock, no one wants to mess with an angry transgenic.

He knocks on the door softly, and a sharp "Go away!" answers it. "Max, it's me." he says, and he hears silence for a moment. "Oh." He knows that's his cue to walk in. He knows that he's the only one who can see her way. He's her mate, and that's his job.

He quickly picks the lock and the door swings open. The normally strong, tough Max is sitting on her desk looking for all the world like she has just lost her best friend. Which she might well have. He comes closer, sitting on the edge of the desk and wrapping her in his arms, knowing that she'll feel safer with him near her. It's instinct.

"I just want her home, Alec." she whispers. "This would have been our first Christmas, all of us." He pulls her tighter.

"Baby, we're doing the best we can to find her." he tries to tell her, but she shakes her head.

"We should be doing more...I just want my sister back, Alec." she tells him, finally meeting his gaze. The sorrow in those chocolate eyes overwhelms him.

"We'll find her, Maxie. We will." he says, taking notice of the new runes forming on her hands and neck. He shouldn't tell her now- she's already upset, no need to make her more so. He'll tell Dix later. Now he needs to make sure his Max is all right.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Dorm room

Bobby slowly came to, shaking his head and peeling off the history paper that's attached to it. He then rubs his head, realizing that shaking it wasn't the best idea. He stretches, stifling a yawn.

He looks at the clock, groaning. "Oh, crap," he mutters, running down the empty halls to the Med Ward, hoping that she isn't sleeping.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Girl's room

Her eyes flew to John's lighter, which he flicked as incessantly as he talked. She watched, amused, as he and Rogue flirted, pausing every so often to ask her what she thought about something. She nodded or shrugged, if the answer needed explaining.

She was busy thinking, trying to remember. She needed to think, but that damn clicking! It was infuriating, and if he didn't put a stop on it soon, she might have to remember some of her training and go transgenic on his ass.

She did like them, though. Rogue and John, that is. They seemed nice, if a little random. "No way, the Smurfs were way better than the Snorks, and you know it!" John exclaimed, and Rogue shook her head. He reminded her of someone, but she couldn't remember who. Not surprising, considering that her memory of everything after the escape was fried. And she only remembered bits about her life before the escape. She wished she never remembered those ones.

"Well, it's getting pretty late. It's been nice meeting you." Rogue says, noticing the far away look on her face. The girl nods, and she takes elbows John to stop him talking.

"Yeah, it's been really nice seeing you not ready to kill me." John says, and she smiles softly, recalling the story that John told her about her scaring him. "We'll visit you tomorrow." he promises, and Rogue nods.

"Yeah, it's Christmas Eve tomorrow." Rogue says, smiling. "I'll be sure to bring some Christmas cookies."

The girl smiles at them, but there's something sad in her eyes. I should be with my family, if any of them made it through the escape, she thinks, trying to ignore the stabbing pain that hits her as she thinks about what could have happened to those children from her dreams.

She slowly stands up, grabbing her healing stab wound, and gingerly making her way out of the room. She looks down the empty hallway, searching for some sign of life. Finding none, she turns towards the end of the hall, where a large window is.

She walks to it, and leans against the wall. She stares out the window, into the winter night. Snow falls down, like a layer of glitter over the dead earth.

She hears footsteps down the hallway, and glances back, but doesn't see what's there. Her world turns black, and she feels herself slumping against the wall as a memory makes itself known.

() Lydecker stands across the hall as Eva's body falls to the ground. She's dead- blood is on her lip, and her eyes are unseeing. Her family stares in horror as their father figure, the one that the revere as a cruel god, doesn't even flinch. ()

Bobby races down the hall, grabbing her as she falls to the floor. He looks around frantically, but there's no one there. He carries her underfed body to her bed, and tries to think about what to do. He can't leave her there, but he needs help.

_Just stay there, Bobby, I'll be there soon_, a voice echoes in his head. Thank god we're a school of mutants, Bobby thinks, realizing just how helpful it is.

()She jumps out the window, curling into a ball in hopes that the glass won't cut her. It still does, but she doesn't notice the blood dripping from her cuts. The gunfire and shouting gain her full concentration.()

Professor Xavier wheels into the room, a worried look on his face. Bobby holds her in his lap, stroking her hair soothingly. "What happened?" the professor asks the teenage boy, who looks up for the first time since he walked in the room.

()She runs to the meeting place, and fifteen heads pop up from hiding places. She sits by Zack, unaware of the fact that her feet are red from being bitten by the snow. He motions for them to split up, and tears fill her eyes. She knows that she can't argue with him- he's the oldest, their C.O., and he knows the best. He motions for her and Bri to go together, and they nod. Luke sits next to her, and holds her icy hand. She looks at him, worried, but he gives her hand an encouraging squeeze.()

"I don't know," Bobby says, shaking his head. "I was walking down the hall and she was staring out the window, and then she just kind of fell."

()The two soldier-children run across the frozen river. She looks at Bri, and he smiles a little, even though bullets are flying past them as they make their way to the ten foot high fence. Suddenly, his smile falters. She sees the spattering of blood on his Manticore-issue nightgown, and stops running, staring in horror as the crimson stain blossoms.()

"Will she be ok?" Bobby asks as Dr. Grey takes her vitals.

"She'll be fine, Bobby, but I don't know what caused her to pass out." Jean says, a little unsure of herself.

()Bri lies there in the snow, looking at her like she's crazy. Worry rises in his eyes. "Maddie, go. You have to go, ok-kay?" he asks, getting paler by the minute. He's shivering. "Leave me here, baby sister. Get t-to the outside." he tells her, but she shakes her head, ignoring the sounds of the barking dogs, coming. A sense of defiance rises in his eyes. He knows what he has to do. "T-that's an o-order, s-s-soldier." he says sternly, his eyes betraying his concern for her. She nods, kissing him on the forehead and jumping over the fence, with one last glance at Bri's now-still body.()

She stirred, for the first time in only a few minutes, but to Bobby, it feels like years. Her hand twitches lightly, and her eyes draw open slowly, showing pools of clover-green, filled with sadness that's so immense that he never wants her to feel. "Are you all right?" he asks, and she shakes her head, leaning against his shoulder.

"I remember the escape." she says quietly, sniffing, trying to forget. Bobby nods, knowing that it must be hard for her to remember what that Manticore place was like. Professor Xavier told him what it was like there.

He was gone now, the Professor, trying to contact somewhere in Seattle where the transgenics were allegedly 'gathering before making a stand' or something like that. Her voice stopped his train of thought.

"Maddie. My name's Maddie" she told him, smiling a little._ Maddie_, he thought, _it fits._


	8. All That Glitters

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::A/N

I am sooooo sorry, everybody!! I have been busy beyond belief, although I know that that's no excuse for making you wait. I hope you like this chapter....by the way, it's still Christmas in my own little world, so it is in the story, too. Okay?

Please review....I feed on input like....um, like food, I guess. Anyway, I'd really appreciate reviews, even if it's just a quick "hi..um, your story didn't make me nauseous." You guys rock!!

Molly Jeane

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Headquarters, Terminal City

A knock on the door of Max's office interrupts her and Alec's kiss. They break apart as Dix rushes into the room, carrying a piece of paper and grinning like an idiot. "What's up, Dix?" Alec asks the disfigured transgenic, whose smile got even larger, if possible.

"We got a letter from a school in New York." he says, and they look at him like he's a moron.

"And..." Max asks, and Dix hands them the letter, practically tripping in his eagerness to share the news. Alec reads over her shoulder. She gasps, hugging Alec. "They found Maddie. She can't remember anything, but she's ok, and they won't hurt her."

"How do we know that this isn't a trap?" Alec asks, and Dix hands him a handful of papers.

"I did some research on this school. Apparently the government was investigating it for being a haven for mutants. Logically, they'd see us as allies, and wouldn't want to hurt one of their own." he says, and Max and Alec nod.

"Guess we're going to New York." Max says, not bothering to hide her excitement.

"Guess so." Alec says, still a little worried that it might be a trap. Well, he thinks, smirking, at least I get hold Max all the way there...or vice versa, depending whose motorcycle we take.

"Dix, can you get us a car?" Max asks, and the misformed man nods. Alec groans. Well, there goes that plus.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Maddie's room

Maddie looks around boredly, not really feeling the old Christmas movie that John and Rogue have decided to assault her senses with. The Grin, or something like that, with some evil green guy. She grabs a sprinkle-encrusted cookie- apparently John decorated, she muses, glancing at the mound of sprinkles before taking a bite.

Bobby glances up from the movie, not able to believe that Rogue and John are this enthralled by an old, unamusing cartoon. He hides a smirk when he notices Maddie picking the sprinkles off of her cookie and throwing them at John's head with perfect accuracy- he doesn't seem to notice.

"You want to go for a walk?" he asks, and she grins.

"Hell yeah." she whispers, so as not to disturb the two avid fans of that furry green thing. They stand up, and Maddie brushes the crumbs off of the pair of jeans and sweater that Rogue gave her. In slow motion, John and Rogue turn around, just as Bobby and Maddie reach the door.

"Where are you two going? The theme song's coming up!" John asks, supported by Rogue's "Yeah!" Bobby looks at Maddie. "Run!"

They race through the corridors, John and Rogue a bit behind them. "You okay?" Bobby asks Maddie, who grins, not even breathing heavily.

"Great. Just like the old times." she says, but not sounding at all sad about that. "This is fun!" she exclaims as they turn into an alcove, hiding behind a tree. "I hear them coming." she whispers, awfully aware of Bobby's body pressed up against her. She looks into his eyes, his icy blue eyes, and realizes how easily she can get lost in them.

"Hold your breath." Bobby whispers, smiling down at the beauty before him. Maddie nods, not realizing that she had already stopped. After what seems like forever of staring into his eyes, footsteps run past the alcove.

"You think it's safe?" she asks, and he nods, not able to take his eyes off of her.

"Um...yeah." he says, taking a moment to register that she's talking. "They'll turn back in a minute, but we have time to run across the hall and use that door."

They fight their way out of the tiny space, scrambling against the tree as footsteps grow closer. Maddie gets out before Bobby, and looks around as he climbs out. "Which way do we go?" she asks, and Bobby looks around, pondering. "Hurry!" she tells him.

He grabs her hand and they run down the hallway, each trying to ignore the sparks they feel from that simple touch. They reach double French doors, and fumble with the locked door for a moment before opening one.

Maddie smiles, wrapping her arms around herself. Bobby takes off his jacket and wraps is around her shoulders. "Thank you." she says, smiling at the way he suspiciously left his arm draped around her. She leans into him, somehow unable to resist his magnetism.

"Not a problem, Maddie." he says as they walk into a doorway for a little shelter from the wind. She sighs happily, and he smirks to himself.

"Isn't it beautiful, Bobby?" she asks, looking around them at the falling snow. "It's like the whole world's covered in glitter." she says in awe, and innocent smile playing on her face. Bobby studies her, her raven hair and big, emerald eyes that always betray her emotions. Her full, smiling lips, the odd blend of innocence and mystery that cling to her.

"Yeah, it's beautiful." he whispers. She stops short, noticing that he's not paying any attention to her realization. But her annoyance slips away as she looks into his eyes. There's something there, in his eyes, that makes her want to run. She can't get close to people...she only gets hurt.

Bobby smiles at her, and her worry melts away. He wouldn't hurt her, not intentionally. He's too kind. "Look up." he whispers, and she glances up, laughing as she spots the mistletoe. "You a big believer in tradition?" he asks hopefully, and she giggles girlishly, something that she thought she'd never do.

"Merry Christmas, Bobby." she whispers, kissing him full on the lips. The coldness of the December wind is nothing compared to the heat of their kiss. Maddie wraps her arms around his neck, and he puts a hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer. He breaks away, grinning.

"I really, really, like Christmas." he says, and she laughs before he catches her lips again, and she's lost in the kiss.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Maddie's room

"So, what do you think they're doing?" Rogue asks John. The movie ended a half hour ago, and now there was nothing to do but watch old Buffy reruns. John grins devilishly, and Rogue groans, knowing that she's probably not going to like what he says.

"I bet they're in the middle of a rabid makeout session." he smiles, and she nods, not really knowing how to respond. "Will you be a dear and pass the Cheetos?" he asks, and she rolls her eyes.

"You are sooo weird, John. Do you realize that?" she asks him, and he nods.

"Yeah, but what's normal, anyways?"

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Car

"I'm bored, Maxie. Are we there yet?" Alec asks impatiently, and Max is reminded of Bugler, the little boy who just couldn't sit still.

"Only like thirty miles more, Alec. We'll be there in like fifteen minutes." she says, smiling at how he pouts. "Okay, make it ten." she concedes, and he smiles, kissing her. She laughs softly, but it quickly vanishes from her face.

"What's wrong, baby?" Alec asks, and she shakes her head. He gives her a look. "Max, I, your mate of all people, should know what's wrong."

Max looks at him, knowing that he can read her like an open book. "Oh, yeah?" she asks, and he nods.

"She'll remember, Maxie. And she'll know that we tried to protect her from everything." he tells her, and her relief shows visibly. "Hey, do you think they know that we're coming.I mean, they must have telepaths, right?And if they do, do you think that they'll get us presents?" he asks, sounding more and more like a kid at every work.

Max rolls her eyes and takes the last turn onto a very long road. Alec sighs. "Are we there..." he trails off as the large mansion comes into sight. "Wow."

"Yeah." Max says, staring at the mansion. It looks like a Christmas card, with matching wreaths on the oversized doors, and lights down the pillars.

"Hey, Max, look.." Alec says, pointing to the side of the building, where two teenagers were huddled in a doorway, making out. "Aw," he pouts, "I wish I went to high school."

Max rolls her eyes, stepping out of the car into the snowy winter night. Alec's arm wraps around her, and she kisses him. "That's gotta last you for a while. We've got to find my sister."


	9. thinking about tomorrow

Maddie pulls away, shivering slightly. "You're cold." Bobby says, blushing immediately. Way to go, Captain Obvious. "Um, let's get you inside, huh?" he says, but she isn't paying attention. Fear paints her face and her eyes are focused over his shoulder.

Bobby looks behind him, and sees the headlights. "Oh, it's ok. It's probably just a new student." she backs against the building, trying to hide. "What if they're here to hurt me?" she asks, her fear of recapture evident.

"Then I'll fight every single one of them off. You're safe now." Bobby tells her, hooking his thumb under her chin and turning her head so she's forced to look at him. He kisses her on the forehead, and she wraps her arms around him, more afraid of recapture than ever, now that she has someone who actually cares about her, or so it seems. "Come on, let's get you inside." he says, leading her stiff body inside.

A tiny teenage girl with auburn hair, excepting two ghost-white streaks in the front, opens the door, playfully hitting the boy behind her. "John, stop it, dork." she stops when she sees who's at the door. "Rogue, what is it? Did Wolverine forget to buy cheetos again, cuz if he did, I will SO try to beat him up." a voice says from behind her, and Alec and Max can't help but smirk.

The girl just stands there, staring at them. "Um, hi." Alec says, trying to break the girl out of the trance. "Rogue, what's taking you so..." a teenage boy comes to the doorway, his mouth filled with Christmas cookies. "Um, hi." he returns, sticking out his hand. "John, and the one who stares is Rogue." he says, and Alec smirks. "Alec, and this is Max."

"You're here for her, aren't you?" Rogue asks, staring at them critically. "If you hurt her, I'll have to hurt you back." she tells them, and, though this girl is small, there is something threatening in her eyes.

Alec and Max turn around and reveal their barcodes. "I promise, I just want to find my sister." Max says, her eyes pleading. "She's the only family I have." John mumbles something through the cookie stuffed in his mouth, and elbows the girl, who hits him back, but moves away from the door.

"Ok, Professor Xavier is gonna want to talk to you." she tells them, shutting the door on the coming winter storm and escorting them through the obscenely large school. "Yeah," says John, smirking, eager to be a part of the conversation, "he has the tendency to tell really, really long stories, so, just so you know, you might get a little bored."

"Uh, John, that's not very nice, and you know that the professor's gonna bring it up sometime?" Rogue says, rolling her eyes and looking at Max and Alec. "He's kind of an idiot sometimes."

"He's male, I think it's understandable." Max tells her, copper eyes gleaming with laughter. Rogue laughs, ignoring the protests of the two males in the group. She smiles. "I think I could get used to having you around." she tells Max, who smiles in an almost maternal way.

"We're here." John says, and they all stop suddenly. "Good luck, guys." he tells them, opening the door for them and shutting it as they walk in. He looks at Rogue. "They seemed nice. Wanna go see if there's any cookie dough left?" he asks, and she shrugs. They walk down the corridor, walking suspiciously close to each other.

"Mad, everything's gonna be fine, all right?" Bobby asks, and she shakes her head in confusion.

"I just need to think, Bobby. I'll be back in a little bit." she promises, and without a look back or another word, walks into the staircase that leads up to the cold, dark sky.

"So she doesn't remember a thing?" Max asks, gripping Alec's hand with all of her might, trying not to cry. "Not even when we were younger?" she asks, her eyes pleading.

"She remembers snippets of things, but not much. Don't expect anything." Charles tells them, his eyes softening at the obvious heartbreak of the girl before him. "I'm sorry, my dear. I wish it were different. She put up a barrier. I can't see her memories, or her thoughts. You were trained well." he tells them, and they nod. Alec squeezes his mate's hand.

Snowflakes curl around her head, and the winter wind bites at her nose. But it doesn't matter. She doesn't feel it. She just feels the loneliness that curls over her heart like a snake, slowly squeezing its victim to death.

I don't want to leave, but I can't stay here. Everything's upside down, like the whole world is closing in on me, like it could swallow me whole. Maybe it will. I don't know. I don't know anything, anymore. I doubt that I ever really did.

"She went to the roof, to think." Bobby tells them, "she's scared. She's trying to hide it, but I can tell." he says, shaking his head, as if to say that even he doesn't know why Maddie's clung to him, or how he can read her like his favorite, memorized book.

"I'll go up," Max volunteers, the words spilling out of her mouth, unbidden. With no objections, she walks up the staircase, bracing herself for the sister that doesn't even remember her. You can do it, Max, she tells herself, trying not to cry.

The steel door swings open with ease, and though it doesn't make a sound, Maddie tenses. "They're waiting for me, aren't they? To say goodbye." she asks as Max walks up to her. Sadness tinges her voice, making it sound tinny, and hollow. She doesn't want to leave, Max thinks, shaking her head. Of course she doesn't want to leave, this is the only safe haven she can ever remember having.

"Well, they can wait. You probably have a lot to think over, huh?" Max says, sitting down next to the teen, and grabbing her hand. "You may not remember me, but I'm Max, and if you'd like to, I'd like to take you home, to Terminal City. It's where transgenics can be safe." she tells the girl, whose clover eyes fill.

"Oh, god, you made it." Maddie gasps, pulling Max into a hug. A half-laugh, half-sob escapes her. "I can't remember anything past the escape, so I didn't know if anyone made it." she confides, her voice choked, full of emotion.

"We're still searching for the others, but Zack, and Syl, and Krit made it out, too. They're in hiding now, trying to find the rest of our unit." Max says, avoiding the painful topic of Ben, and the others who didn't make it. "But there are hundreds of us out now, Maddie. Thousands, even. If you want to, you can come with me and Alec, and meet them." Maddie looks down at the ground, obviously in deep thought. She looks up, her green eyes full of determination, and sadness, too, at the prospect of leaving her new friends.

"I'll go. It's what I have to do." she says simply, wiping off a tear that strays down her face.


End file.
